KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18- The Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council Zakat Collection Centre (PPZ MAIWP) is the first zakat institution in the world to provide zakat payment services using digital assets, thus introducing the latest innovation in the process of fulfilling zakat obligations.

Chief Executive Officer of PPZ MAIWP, Datuk Abdul Hakim Amir Osman, stated that this initiative not only aligns with technological advancements but also aims to ensure that no group is left out of fulfilling their zakat obligations for any form of assets they possess.

"With the existence of platforms like this, it not only facilitates zakat payers in fulfilling their obligations. However, I anticipate a new surge in zakat collection from this new source of zakat, namely currency or digital assets," he said.

He added that this platform is also expected to filter Sharia-compliant cryptocurrencies.

"This is because every asset has a right of 2.5 percent that we need to give to the asnaf (eligible recipients)," said Datuk Abdul Hakim to reporters today.

He was met after officiating the Launch Ceremony of Digital Asset Zakat Payment Channels at the PPZ-MAIWP building in the capital.

He explained that the collection of digital asset zakat since January this year has increased by 73 percent, amounting to nearly RM45 compared to RM26 last year.

This indicates that awareness of digital asset zakat has emerged among the community.

Furthermore, he added that PPZ MAIWP has appointed Sharlife Sdn Bhd as the first zakat collection agent using cryptocurrency as a starting point.